Typewriter Video Series - Episode 164: Thermal Typewriter Shoot-Out

[@anamarquez30p]

I love your thermal typewriters videos!🌷👍👍👍 thank you so much for all your hard work and for teach us!! U are the master! 🚀🚀🚀🚀🙏

[@noahbianchi1920]

I have a Canon Typestar 7 and love it. A joy to type on. It came with a still working cassette but I’m using thermal paper. I use it for a focused typing device.

[@johnandrewmunroe]

Love the attention you're giving to two of my favorite machines! Great job, Joe.

[@johnandrewmunroe]

Not sure if you can find similar in the US, but cut thermal paper is easy to buy in Japan. $4 for 100 sheets. I photocopy or scan my Typestar-written documents if I want to archive them. www.amazon.co.jp/コクヨ-ワープロ用感熱紙-エコノミー満足タイプ-A4-タイ-2014/dp/B000VV9BVW/

[@Xingqiwu387]

An EXCELLENT review of these fascinating machines!

[@BrianGoodeBass]

Great job!

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

Just NEVER could get used to working with such a tiny "screen"! I NEED a full sized ie. 8x11 inch screen or sheet of paper to work on.

[@dadtype2339]

Okay sorry I didn't see this episode, I had asked if they work without a cassette, and this answered that. I like you different openings, but hands down the creepiest one has to be when you walked up and stuck your head in the tree and stared in black and white. Lol 👍

[@detach8]

Sorry this comment is probably 2 years late but here’s a tip for the Canon… NiCd batteries are quite rare now so NiMH are reasonable replacements and will do no harm. You may have difficulty finding D size batteries so get an adapter that converts AA to D and you’re good to go with significantly reduced weight. Modern AA NiMH can easily hold 2000mAh so it’s more than enough for these machines. However, regardless of battery type don’t leave them charging all day long it’s not good for the batteries - a modern charger will take better care of those batteries.

[@The_Wandering_Nerd]

I like the idea and form factor of those small portable typewriters, but I think the fact that they depend on a medium that can erase itself if left in the sun on a hot day makes them unusable for anything but the most casual of writing.

[@skyviolet]

The canon actually has a case with a handle and a storage compartment...so it's a little unfair that you didn't mention that.

[@johnandrewmunroe]

Typestar Pro Tip: One of the noisiest parts of the Typestar series is the platen knob. By pressing the left knob (and maybe the right? I forget) toward the machine while rotating, the ratcheting releases and it becomes virtually silent. A bit less precise perhaps in terms of multi-page positioning of the first line, but oh so quiet for typing in cafes and libraries etc.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

Great tip, thanks!

[@Lysander-Spooner]

The best is the IBM QUIETWRITER.

[@tpaynemm]

Nice overview. I find that the Sharp PA1050 is the absolute best of these thermal printers. I have a couple including the EP20 and Typestar ii 110. The EP20 is fun for the very retro 9 pin dot matrix appearance of the text, but the PA1050 has near laser quality output and multiple fonts and an awesome keyboard. FYI my EP20 has no issues with the keyboard - the membrane on yours is likely dieing. Unfortunately one of my typestars has this issue and yet another arrived DOA from eBay...good stuff.

[@aphexteknol]

Had a chance to grab a Brother EP-20 at the local thrift store recently, but they wanted $30 (!?!) for the machine. Those Canon Typestars make some great looking text for a thermal. EDIT- No I didn’t buy the EP-20 for that much. :)

[@herik1263]

Hi Joe, I'm from Argentina. I don't speak English, but I watch your videos and I understand almost everything. With the help of the google translator I leave this message, sorry if something is misspelled. I've bought a few typewriters lately. Olympia SM9 (robot Font), Smith-Corona Silent 1953 (Pica italic Nro 2) and some Olivettis. All typewriters manuals. I've been watching these thermal machines, and I find them interesting, I'm already looking for a canon online. I don't understand some things about these thermal machines. How do the cassettes work? What happens when you finish spinning the tape in one direction? Does the tape rotate both ways? is reversible as in a manual machine?. The tapes are no longer manufactured, you have tried to adapt the tape of another brand. For example, you get a Casio cassette, you open the tape, and transfer it to the Canon cassette. it's possible? thanks Joe. Greetings from Argentina.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

The tapes have a black film on them that transfers to normal paper with the thermal print head. The cassettes are one-time-use only, once you use it up you have to get another cassette. The various brands I have (Brother, Canon, Casio and Sharp) all use different style cassettes, there doesn't seem to be a standard. I suspect each manufacturer was hoping to dominate the market and make their cassette the standard, like the Beta/VHS competition from the same timer period of the 1980s. Without the cassette, these machines work by use of thermal paper (like fax paper rolls; there were also letter-sizes sheets of thermal paper). Thermal paper is still plentiful in retail office supply stores in the form of the rolls of fax paper.

[@Dr_Joe]

I wonder: can one buy thermal fax paper in standard 8.5x11 sheets?

[@LTHanlon]

I looked while shopping at Staples in downtown Chicago last week and didn't see any individual sheets. I'd buy some if I could find any! It also would be nice to find thermal paper that's somewhat thicker.

[@Dr_Joe]

L.T. Hanlon ... I Found 8.5x11 Thermal sheets on eBay! Search for: Pentax Letter Size Quality Paper - 100 sheets (PTX 201960) Sl

[@LTHanlon]

@@Dr_Joe -> Thanks for finding and sharing this! Will order some today!

[@LTHanlon]

I've been using my Typestar 5 with thermal paper and am wondering whether I should leave a spent ink cartridge in it. These machines apparently were engineered and sold for use with standard paper only, as I see no mention of thermal paper in the user guide. Maybe operating without the cartridge changes the stress on the pulley and gears?

[@Joe_VanCleave]

The only difference I can see is with the cartridge installed there's the thin plastic ribbon film between the thermal print head and paper. I suspect it makes a darker imprint directly to the thermal paper without a spent ribbon in place. The Typestar 4 manual recommends to clean the thermal print head with a piece of paper rubbed between print head and platen.

[@ProgressivNorway]

Hey Joe! Thanks for your video. Im having trouble moving my margin setting right on my typestar 6. By mistake I've been moving my margin further and further left and I don't know how to make it go back right- to fill the page. Thanks

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I don’t have the manual for the Typestar 6, but do have the 4. On the 4, you press space with either the left arrow or the Tab key to position the carrier. Use the Margin Release to move beyond the current margin. Once it’s positioned where you want the margin, press Left or Right Margin to set it. If that doesn’t work, it’s possible the mechanism that drives the print head could be slipping. I’ve also seen where low batteries will cause an erratic left margin but plugging into AC fixed it.

[@ProgressivNorway]

@@Joe_VanCleave thanks a lot for this reply! I'll try this out - and hopefully it's the same mechanism to position the carrier. Take care!

[@LTHanlon]

Thanks for posting this shootout! I own a Typestar 5 that I bought on your recommendation for a way to type quietly at night. I love the machine! You're absolutely right that its keyboard feels like the AlphaSmart Neo's. For some reason, Typestar 5 has fewer options than its predecessor - specifically no justified setting. The only daunting aspect of the Typestar 5 is that like with the 4, underlining text requires an enormous amount of forethought and formatting. I've been using rolls of 8-1/2-inch wide fax paper most of the time. The other day I found some bright yellow thermal receipt-style paper at Staples and have enjoyed sending letters using that paper. Have you heard of any thicker thermal paper? My Typestar 5 came with a really neat plastic case. It's similar to those tool cases that when closed create a large oval space as a handle. Like a normal typewriter, you can operate the Typestar while it's still in the case. In addition, the case has little recesses to hold two ribbon cassettes. As regards ribbons, I have four left and don't plan on buying any more; they're too expensive and the thermal paper works fine. As per your suggestion, I photograph most of what I write on the Canon save save it to Evernote.

[@Joe_VanCleave]

I'll have to look for that yellow thermal paper. A comment further down refers to sheets of thermal paper on Amazon. Might be interesting. I like the rugged look of those plastic hard cases, but my little laptop bag seems to do the trick.

[@LTHanlon]

Here's the yellow thermal paper. It's a bit pricey, but I splurged. :-) . www.staples.com/Staples-Thermal-Paper-Rolls-28402-3-1-8-W-x-230-L/product_704438

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

Only a HARD CORE collector would want either of these things. Plus... Look at what's required to use it? The paper is it's Achilles heel. Again? WHY BOTHER? How long will the large sized "thermal paper" be manufactured? Without it? These little beasties are totally USELESS! Invest in a GOOD, standard, portable, MECHANICAL typewriter or a cheap LAPTOP instead. You'll be MUCH better off in the long run. In my humble opinion.

[@johnc.bojemski1757]

Why bother? Sorry Joe. Thanks for the review but... I'd rather use a good, reliable, modern "LAPTOP" computer and wireless printer instead. You'll notice that neither of them were on the market for a long time. They were probably "proving grounds" for each company's later, more standard, portable, computer machines. These things just AREN'T worth all the trouble!